SHARE

Holiday Bazaar a 40-year tradition

Sue Dixon opened the doors Friday morning to her annual Holiday Bazaar at 2573 G Road. Within minutes, the long, tree-lined driveway began filling up with cars as customers came pouring in to her sister’s home, with thoughts of homemade pies and jellies on their minds.

For more than 40 years now, Dixon and her family have been selling handmade and handcrafted goodies to the public just in time for the holiday season. The tradition was started by Dixon’s mother, Helen Howe, now deceased. “She enjoyed sewing and just making things, but mostly I think she enjoyed socializing with the customers once a year,” Dixon recalled.

Many of the shoppers remember Howe and are grateful to her family for continuing the event that they look forward to all year long. “I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of this for a while now. Helen was so nice. It’s always been just such a treat to come here,” said Jane Findlay, as she filled a box with colorful jars of jelly.

Elizabeth Robillard comes for the jelly, too. “It’s just so beautiful ... just look at the color,” she said while admiring a jar of clear pink crabapple jelly.

Dixon said she and her daughter, Liz Hartman, decided to carry on the tradition. They make items for the bazaar all year long. Their inventory includes hand-sewn items such as quilts, aprons, and napkins. Downstairs, shoppers find everything from crocheted sweaters to bread baskets to stuffed elephants.

Dixon was kept busy Friday morning pulling frozen pie out of the freezer for customers. She expects to sell at least 70 pies to the more than 200 people expected to shop at the bazaar this weekend. “We’ll sell hundreds of jars of jelly, too,” she said.

“It must be good because they keep coming back,” she said, laughing.

Not only does the bazaar earn the family a little spending money, it’s something that bonds the women together. “I get to have my daughter here and my sister — it’s just kind of a tradition that we love,” Dixon said.

The Holiday Bazaar will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.